I feel like I found a hidden GEM when I stumbled upon this show. It's been a long time since I laughed so hard! This show was hilarious and such an entertaining watch. I adored the actors, music, and storyline. There was a lot of funny moments, but a lot of serious ones too. I'd recommend this to anyone who is a fan of the 1930s, spies, mystery, comedy, and a splash of romance.
My only two beefs with this drama are (1) The main guy, every time he was in a serious conversation or wanted to know something, he SHOUTED. I mean, literally, shouted in any scene where there was "tense" dialogue. I started to cringe every time in anticipation of the shouting. & (2) The main girl. WHYYYYY didn't they ever update her wardrobe??? I get that it was part of "her thing" but for what her character was doing... it was too dangerous for her to dress like that. I truly thought she would grow/change just a little in that respect by the last few episodes but it never happened. Also... her character was written just a little over the top on the naiveté. Both took away a little from the overall picture/enjoyment for me.
With that being said, I still adored this show. You need to watch it. You can thank me later. ;-)

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show could have been good/great but it was a chore for me to get through the last 10 episodes.

Mainly because (personal opinion) for me... the ML was either a jerk/selfishly did stuff or he literally held 0 emotions... like his face just looked confused? 99.9% of the time. Also... for a high-octane thriller/gotta-figure-it-out-before-we-die type of drama... it felt oddly boring for 75% of the drama... by episode 20, I was over it and the plot just drug along with only...

(((SPOILERS BELOW)))
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"will she excel at makeup" and "will the microchip kill her before the ml decides to finally tell her what she needs to know or not?" and those two plot threads were NOT interesting enough to keep me watching for 10 more episodes... I held out and pushed through but the end was as mediocre as it was anticlimactic.

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A Tragic Past & A Brand New Chance After Reincarnation

This is one of those Lakorns that has a little bit of everything. Romance, reincarnation, a tragic back story told in a dual timeline, ghosts, an evil 2FL, families with grudges, and more. (A legitimate lakorn, people!)

BUT somehow, I like this lakorn more than normal. After watching it a second time through and enjoying it just as much as the first time, I decided to write a review to share the reasons why I find this a "better than normal" lakorn just in case anyone is wondering if they should give it a chance. :)

What I liked about Reun Phayom:
1. The romance between the FL and the ML. It wasn't instant or crazy or super possessive even though this could have been played up because of their shared and tragic past life.
2. The little girl. Even though she's being pretty much mistreated by her villain aunt and manipulated, she's smart and strong enough to know who treats her well and sincerely and I find that super amazing in this drama.
3. The ghosts. So, this may be weird to say, but the ghosts were as human as their actual human counterparts. In other words, they weren't completely black or white. They are three-dimensional in nature. Trying to be good and protect to move on, but still burdened by their own desires of love, revenge, anger, etc. I found that I liked that the writers didn't take away their "personality" and humanness just because they'd died.

I don't know. I guess I just felt that even though there was an over-the-top female villain in this drama, it still didn't push over into "slap kiss" territory or where the villain got all the slaps in and our FL had to endure abuse for 90% of the drama. I appreciated the more complicated storyline, etc.

I've watched nearly 200 lakorns at this point and have seen the good, the bad, and the ugly. This one is unique and I love loved it. The flashbacks to the past were painful to watch for sure though, just be warned! However, of the 200 lakorns I've seen, this one is probably in the top 10 of "Lakorns I'd recommend" so that shows how much I enjoyed this one. I hope you like it too. :) If not, that's okay, we all have different tastes. Check out my "custom lists" for my lakorn recommendation list there! ^_^

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If you liked "Another Miss Oh", you will like this one too!

I'll first say that I went into this show sceptically because I am a HUGE fan of the Korean drama, Another Miss Oh. I think it is brilliant and brilliantly acted. SO... I don't usually like to let myself down with subpar versions of something I adore. However, I gave it a shot anyway and am SO glad I did.

Here are a few short & sweet thoughts I had about this drama.
1. These Thai actors and the director/writer/whatever all deserve a round of applause. They kept the "soul" of the original when they filmed this one.
2. I liked ALL the actors/actresses who were picked for their roles and even against popular opinion, the ML's older mess of a sister. I liked that she was portrayed a little bit younger and a wee bit more put together than the Korean sister.
3. The famous karaoke/crying/karaoke scene between the FL and her parents did NOT make it into this version and that was probably my only and biggest disappointment. Probably because of how brilliant it was in the Korean version!
4. The Korean version is still the BEST version but I think it is mainly because ALL the actors seemed a bit more, IDK, passionate? about the roles they were acting. Their anger, their losses, their love, their frustrations, their flaws were RAW and REAL and you felt everything they felt. This version was GOOD, really it was VERY good, but it felt just a little short of Another Miss Oh's brilliance.

STILL... this drama is wonderful and I really did love it. Will it replace the Korean version in my heart? Nope! But I will be rewatching it and adding it to my top 10 Thai Drama List for SURE! :)

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Still... it was cute.

This drama had all the elements that were needed to be a GREAT romcom, however, I'm sorry to say that (for me) it fell very flat.
The plot fell flat.
The romance fell flat. (truly truly FLAT/non-existent)
The comedy started out decent but fell flat quickly. (there were some cute/funny moments, but I expected so much more here!)
The acting was wonderful, especially by Bomb, but it wasn't enough to carry such a long show.
Still... it was cute. I teared up and I laughed a few times as well. It wasn't horrible, but it wasn't amazing either. The 14 TWO HOUR episodes drug it down so bad. The plot was way too simple to support such a long drama. At the very MOST this show should have been (14) 45 min episodes instead of (14) 120 min episodes. By episode 7 I was well "over" the plot. I wanted romance. I wanted shenanigans. I wanted to laugh. & unfortunately, I had to begin FF'ing instead to "just get to the end".
Sad Panda.

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I'm going to give this show a 10 on my review just because I can ;-)

For me, this show is a solid 8.5 stars.
I loved it back when I watched it and enjoyed a rewatch even afterwards a few months back.
HOWEVER, I'm going to give this show a 10 on my review just because I can and because I don't think the show deserves the hate & low rating it's getting. Makes me think there is a "reason" people are trashing and they're only saying the show sucks to justify whatever their agenda is. I (of course) could be reading too much into it as well. Either way... this show is good enough not to be dog-piled on.
Enjoy a light, not-to-serious romcom now and then with~
A sexy, rich ML?
A fun, interesting FL?
Fabulous side characters & gorgeous/fun 2nd ML?
Slightly complicated family dynamics?
Decent chemistry between leads? + hot kisses/scenes?
LOL worthy moments littered throughout the show?
Something to watch while you turn off your brain from over thinking and over analyzing and to just ENJOY A FREAKING FEEL-GOOD SHOW FOR ONCE???
This is the show for you. :)

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Not as enjoyable or memorable as I would have liked :-(

Finished this by skipping through most of the final episodes.
I went in with pretty high hopes because I found the first few episodes promising. The actors are all wonderful and I enjoyed the idea behind the show, but, for me, it wasn't as enjoyable or memorable as I would have liked. Why? Let me tell you quickly below...
1. The guys and their friendship should have been a highlight for me and at first it kind of was, except when that friendship came before anything and everything, especially wrong and right.
2. The guys... most of them were truly big ol' 15 year olds in 41 year old bodies. They didn't grow up. They didn't change as a result of the things they'd been through etc. Most of the show was them covering for their cheating friend, dodging adult behavior in favor of teenager-like behavior, and so on.
3. The romance I wanted to love, but it was lackluster and after a cute scene or two, was pretty much boring and unbelievable.
I wanted to love it. I only liked it instead.
I wouldn't re-watch considering I barely finished it, but it wasn't horrible either thanks to the wonderful actors.

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loved it but final 3 episodes (3 hours)felt like fluff with no real progress to the plot.

I LOVED it but have to say that the final 3 episodes felt like "filler" episodes where not much happened. It was weird and felt like fluff was just tacked on to the end because they didn't think through where the plot should lead.
I had a lot of unanswered questions as well about the FL's condition.
Why did it start at 20?
Why did she turn at all?
Why was it suddenly so sporadic at the end of the show when it had been monthly (without fail) for 10 years straight?
Was she supposed to be helping people every time she turned and she just never knew it? Like when she helped that grieving mother and that teen girl? Hmmmm
Those final three episodes could've been used in a much more constructive way. BUT I still adored the story, the acting, and so on.

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Final verdict: a big MEH for me.
The FL was a big fat liar/traitor for way too long in this show to allow you to be sympathetic towards her as the FL. The truth of the matter is that even if her company wasn't bad/whatever, she still was willing to do anything (even dirty stuff to hurt reputations/business/etc) in order to get a promotion. She just wasn't a good person to begin with. The only reason she was sorry later was because she had fallen in love with the ML. If she hadn't "cared" about him, she wouldn't have felt so guilty. Which means she would have done the same to someone else.
The FL's over the top fashion choices also severely distracted from the good points of the show and painted her in another unflattering light making the watchers/audience distance themselves from "connecting" with the FL on any level. You can be different & unique and have your own sense of style but the show went overboard to the point of alienating the FL from her audience IMHO.
The ONLY redeeming quality in this show was the ML. I can watch him in anything *SWOON*

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The show was so well acted with a lovely and almost too-realistic storyline. A lot of parts hurt to watch and I shed many tears throughout the 42 episodes.
I will say that if you're looking for something super fluffy, cute, lots of romantic elements, etc. This show is not for you. The romance is almost non existent and is more of a slice of life of 30-something year old characters growing as they navigate through what life throws at them.
Normally, this type of drama isn't my cup of tea for the exact reason above. I tend to, well, like a little more romance in my romance, but for some reason I couldn't look away from this drama. It was well done. I likely will never watch it again, but I do not regret the time I spent watching this one even a little bit. Indeed, I am glad I gave it a chance. :)
Another SN: Don't expect a "romantic" ending either. It is much more realistic than that.

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LOVED this show. I enjoyed every single character and the lady who played the "bad guy" was EPIC in her role.
My only issue was the ending. To be honest, the way they ended it was about the ONLY way I wouldn't have been ok with.
In my opinion, he could have:
1. Died and stayed gone 100%. OR
2. Lived and came back as a detective with the agency later (but no one was aware he was still alive)
The ONLY thing that wasn't acceptable (to me) was him being DEAD and without a body and then RETURNING. Mainly, because then it puts our FML in the position of forever loving him but never truly being able to be with him. I don't like this scenario.
However.... I LOVED this show so so much otherwise.

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I actually loved the story, the characters, and the actors a lot. There are a few MAJOR points that could have been done SO much better and then this would have been a 10 for me, but they were so blatant, that I can only give it an 8 as a result. & likely would never re-watch.
Issues I had:
1. The FL blurting out crap several times in front of people she thought were murderers and expecting to go unscathed? Super stupid. If you think they MURDERED someone, wouldn't you be a little leery to say that to their face without anyone around (literally) to save you if they decided to kill you as well???
2. The FL as a musician was compelling, but we only get to see her as an "assistant" 99% of the show. I really hated that. I wanted to see her as more than a patient who forgot her past and being used as a plot device instead of a character in her own right.
3. The romance. I know it wasn't the main event in this show, but our hopes were up with that lovely kiss early in the show only to go non-existent in the rest.
4. The ending. It had too many flaws.
(a.) Why was our FL and her family APOLOGIZING for an ACCIDENT??? She didn't STAB him. He FELL on her knife while knocking her to safety. GEEEZ.
(b.) Why didn't we get to see the bad guy being miserable? Sad face.
(c.) This guy leaves like that, devastating our FL one AGAIN and then out of the blue returns "1 year later" with a smile on his face like nothing happened and she doesn't even BLINK before forgiving him like it never happen. Truly, this was the most disappointing part. She had to have had been very very hurt by him and yet the writers wrote it off like he just hadn't called in a few weeks. WHUT?
(d.) Side characters. Anyone else feel like they just threw endings out there for everyone without much thought? I felt like they just tried to hurry up and end it all quickly and we got a glossed over ending as a result. SAD PANDA.

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A quick review to show my appreciation for a super special Japanese series. From the fabulous acting, to the super unique take on on the show (opening scenes are hilarious!) and the fantastic soundtrack, this show stands out as something truly memorable. I don't know that I've ever seen a Japanese series anywhere similar to this one before and it was a treat to watch. Romantic. Creative. Great Music. Wonderful Acting. I LOVED it! It was hard not to fall for both of the Male Leads, but even the side characters were well rounded. No girls slap-fighting over men, no over-the-top drama, or super jealous people plotting in the background, just a wonderful and heart-warming story. The show had a very old-school Hollywood vibe to it that was really felt through the music choices throughout the series- A serious compliment to the storyline.

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I debated between a 8 & 9 rating since I was at about 8.5. I decided to round up to 9 for the simple reason that I grinned through the entire show, love the actors, and it was super entertaining.
The things I loved and the things had issues with are below so you can make your own decision on whether to watch or not ^_^
DISCLAIMER: I watch dramas & read books to be entertained and never really over-analyze every little thing, picking it to pieces, so my perspective is skewed in that way.
Things I loved about the show:
1. The acting. It was done very well by some wonderful actors!
2. The music/sound effects. I love me a romcom with adorable sound affects and even graphic popups ala WWWSK!
3. The romance. It was adorable and extra points for not having the cliche ex girlfriend or mother acting crazy trying to keep the main leads apart.
4. The side characters/storylines. I really appreciate a show where you truly want to watch the supporting characters and are invested in what is going on with them and do not end up skipping their parts.
5. The actual cases they worked on. I loved all of them and how they were handled.

What I had some tiny issues with:
1. The stalker ex-boyfriend plot. It was not very well done. He shows up and is taken care of wayyyy to easily/quickly considering the entire plot surrounding the main female lead was based on what he did to her.
2. I'm just going to say it. The evil laugh that the ex-stalker boyfriend had. Whut? I can't handle such an over the top villainous laugh. *shrugs*
3. The romantic wrap-up of two of the side characters. The office manager guy and the woman with the daughter? I mean you see this deep affection from the guy over lots of episodes and even though nothing happens, you can't help to build up a lot of hope for him. Let me clarify... it's NOT that they don't end up together that rubbed me the wrong way. It's that they are given about 2 minute of screen time for a flat rejection in the final episode and I felt that the build up didn't justify the abrupt dismissal of that particular story thread. The way it was handled was a disappointment to me personally.

All in all... this s how did deliver EXACTLY what I was looking for when I began watching it and that was a super cute, fluffy romance where I smiled through the whole thing and came away feeling lighter than when I started. I didn't overthink it. I just allowed myself to enjoy it for what it is. :)

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